Process of smelting refractory ores.



' No. 790,394. PATENTED MAY 28, 1905 E. F. PRICE. PROCESS OF SMBLTING REFRACTORY ORES.

A PPLIOATiON FILED NOV. 7, 1904.

No. 790,394. Patented May 23, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR 1+. PRICE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK.

PROCESS OF SMELTING REFRACTORY ORES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,394, dated May 23, 1905. Application filed November '7, 1904. Serial No. 231,736.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDGAR F. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in .the county of Niagara and State of 5 New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements inProcesses of Smelting Refractory Ores, of which the following is a specification.

United States Patent No. 750,096, granted January 19, 190A, to Alfred H. Cowles, de-

' scribes a process of smelting refractory compounds by passing an electric current through a body of the charge acting as a resistanceconductor and increasing the current density I 5 along the path of thecurrent to a point where the heat generated by the resistance of the body effects reduction. The electric current torynon-conductive material is the upper elecis passed through the charge by means of car- "ftrode 8, a downwardly converging water bon electrodes, the upper electrode being a jacketed iron ring having aterminal 9, the in- 2 carbon ring surrounding the charge and conner surface of the ringbeing bare, so that it 7 stituting the upper part of the stack-furnace may contact-with the charge. Supported upon and the lower electrode being the carbonthe electrode-ring 8 is an iron ringlO, which hearth of the furnace. Carbon electrodes of carries abell-and-hopper charging mechanism the size and character required for this pur- 11. An outlet-flue 12f0rwaste gases extends pose are expensive and perishable. It is diffrom the ring 9. Tap-holes13 14: extend lat- 75 ficult to obtain large blocks of carbon of unierally through the body 1 at different heights. form composition, and the carbon is rapidly In employing this furnace to carry out the worn away by the attrition of the charge and process a charge which is electrically conductits products and in many cases reacts chemive or which will be converted into a conducically therewith. tor by the temperature of the furnacefor 8 According to the present process an elecexample, a mixture of magnetite, silica, and trically-conductive charge'of a refractory ore carbon for the production of ferrosilicon-is or ores and a reducing agent are interposed befed into the stack until its upper portion lies tween water-cooled metal electrodes and smeltin contact with the electrode-ring 8. If the ed by the heat generated by the resistance charge is normally a poor conductor, initial 85 of the charge. The charge is preferably a current-paths between the electrodes are prodownwardly-converging vertical column, fed vided. The conductivity of the charge may through and in contact with the upper elecbe increased by using a mixture containing trode. The lower electrode isof metal and 4 preferably consists of a body of a molten large pieces of coke, which lie in contact with each other at various points, and thereby af- 9 metal or alloy supported on ametal plate which is artificially cooled. A metal or alloy conford direct paths for the flow of current. An electric current'of sufiicient amperage is then taining a mlnimum or definite percentage of carbon may be produced by employing a passed from the upper electrode through the charge to the body of molten metal 6, which charge containing a predetermined amount of carbon.

for the example given will preferably consist 95 A suitable incandescence-furnzice is shown L in the accompanying drawing, in which the figof ferrosilicon. The charge serves as a resistance-conductor in which the temperature ure is a vertical axial section. 5 The furnace 1s a-vertical stack comprising a downwardly-converging body 1 of refractory non-conductive material-such as magnesia, chromite, or siloxicon surrounded by a water-jacket 2. The body is supported upon a horizontal metal plate 3, preferably of caststeel, having a chamber 4 for the circulation of water and an electric terminal 5. A body 6, of a molten metal or alloy, is supported on the plate 3.v This molten body may consist of the metal or alloy to be produced, of ametal which will alloy with the reduced product, or

of a metal which will not alloy or combine with the reduced product. The molten body and support-plate constitute the lower electrode of the furnace. Supported upon the body 1 but insulated therefrom by a layer 7 of refracgradually rises downwardly by reason of the decreasing cross-section and increaslng current density to a zone where reduction of the I iron and silicon is effected. In normal operation the major portion of the body of metal 6 will be maintained in a molten condition by the heat of the charge, the lower portion being pasty or solid on account of the water circulated through the hearth. The reduced iron and silicon form a molten alloy, which collects in the lower part of the furnace and may be withdrawn through the tap-hole 13, fresh charge material being fed into the furnace as required. The process is thus a continuous one. The waste gases passing up from the zone of reduction through the charge serve to preheat it and are withdrawn through utilized for fuel. and resistance of the column of charge can be varied to regulate the necessary voltage by varying the height'of the body of metal 6. It will be obvious that ferrosiliconmay also be produced by smelting a charge of silica and carbon and employing a body 6 of molten iron. The iron will then alloy with the reand may be replenished by supplying metallic iron with the charge.

By employing a charge containing a predetermined amount of carbon it is possible to produce a he process is applicable to the reduction of various refractory ores-such as those of titanium, vanadium, aluminium, metallic prodor compound of as a silicid, carbid, or borid.

The reduction of iron ores by this process is specifically claimed in my application, Serial No. 229,167, October 19, 1904, and the reduction of calcium compounds for the I claim 1. The

ing said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction, and cooling the solid portion of said metal electrode, as set forth.

The process of smelting refractory ores,

which consists in interposing a charge of the I ore and a reducing agent as a resistance-conductor between superposed electrodes, the lower electrode being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction, and cooling the solid portion of the lower electrode, as set forth.

3. The process of smelting refractory ores, which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a reducing agent as a resistance-conductor between superposed electrodes, the lower electrode being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction, cooling the solid portion of the lower electrode, permitting the molten product to settle and collect upon the lower electrode, and removing the product and supplying fresh charge materials as required, as set forth.

he process of smelting refractory ores, which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a reducing agent as a resistance-conductor between superposed electrodes, the lower electrode being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction, cooling the solid portion of the lower electrode, permitting the molten product to settle and collect upon the lower electrode, removing the product and supplying fresh charge materials as req uired, an moving the charge substantially along the path of current-flow, as set forth.

5. The process of smelting refractory ores, which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a reducing agent as a resistance-conductor between electrodes, one of said electrodes being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction by an electric current the den sity of which increases through the charge, and cooling the solid portion of said metal electrode, as set forth.

6. he process of smelting which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a reducing agent as a resistance-conductor between superposed electrodes, the lower electrode being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction by an electric current the density of which increases through the charge, cooling the solid portion of the lower electrode, permitting the molten product to settle and collect upon the lower electrode, removing the product and supplying fresh charge materials as required, and moving the charge substantially along the path of current-flow, as set forth.

7. The process of smelting refractory ores and producing metals or alloys containing a minimum or definite percentage of carbon, which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a predetern'iined amount of carbon as a resistance-conductor between metal elecrefractory ores,

trodes, electrically heating said charge to the IIO temperature requisite for reduction, and cooling the electrodes to maintain them at a relatively low temperature, as set forth.

8. The process of smelting refractory ores and producing metals or alloys containing a minimum or definite percentage of carbon, which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a predetermined amount of carbon as a resistance-conductor between electrodes, one of said electrodes being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction, and cooling the solid portion of said metal electrode, as set forth.

9. The process of smelting refractory ores and producing metals or alloys containing a minimum or definite percentage of carbon, which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a predetermined amount of carbon as a resistance-conductor between superposed electrodes, the lower electrode being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction, cooling thesolid portion of the lower electrode, permitting the molten product to settle and collect upon the lower electrode, and removing the product and supplying fresh charge materials as required, as set forth.

10. The process of smelting refractory ores and producing metals or alloys containing a minimum or definite percentage of carbon,

which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a predetermined amount of carbon as a resistance conductor between metal electrodes, electrically heating said charge to the temperature requisite for reduction by an electric current the density of which increases through the charge, and cooling the electrodes to maintain them at a relatively low temperature, as set forth. 11. The process of smelting refractory ores and producing metals or'alloys containing a minimum or definite percentage of carbon, which consists in interposing a charge of the ore and a predetermined amount of carbon as a resistance-conductor between superposed electrodes, the lower electrode being of metal and comprising a liquid portion and a solid portion, electrically heating said charge to the. temperature requisite for reduction by an electric current the density of which increases through the charge, cooling the solid portion of the lowerelectrode, permitting the molten product to settle and collect upon the lower electrode, removing the product and supylying fresh charge materials as required, and moving the charge substantially along the path of current-flow, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' EDGAR F. PRICE.

Witnesses:

Gr. E. Cox, D. BURGESS. 

